Newell K. Dayley His parents bought a piano when he was four-years-old. Mother was determined. But Newell wasn’t, even though he kept up piano lessons through the 6th Grade. Guitar? No. Violin? No. He had a wonderful band teacher in 7th Grade who got Newell started on the cornet, and he never stopped. After receiving a B.S in Music Education from BYU, a Masters in Music from USC, he received his Doctorate of Arts from the University of Northern Colorado. He is Professor Emeritus of Music at BYU, where he also served as an Assistant Professor and a Professor and Chairman of the Music Department and Dean & Associate Dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications. He also found time along the way to direct the Entertainment Division for 5 years. He is currently the Dean of...

Margaret Smoot is an Emmy award-winning writer/producer currently president of Smoot Productions, Inc. a media/communications company in Salt Lake City. She has written and produced television programs, screenplays, CD’s, videos and seminar training material for clients ranging from the LDS Church, Video West, Hallmark Cards, the First Amendment Congress, Metropolis Integrated Media and other local and national corporations. She produced the first two nationally syndicated television programs with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir in the 1980’s: “A Christmas Sampler” with Hal Linden and “An American Tribute” with John Schneider. During the 2002 Salt Lake Olympic Winter games, Margaret was the Asst. General Manager for the Utah Media Center, an information/production resource to the worldwide media. The Utah Media Center included world-class production facilities, satellite uplink capability, sponsor booths and a news briefing stage. In that position, she also coordinated all...

For 25 years Michael McLean has been changing lives with his tender songs and candid messages. He has shared the “hard stories” — those from his own life and those of others — and has sung us all the way to light at the end of the tunnel. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that for every person, twist, or turn along life’s path, Michael McLean has the perfect song. McLean released his debut album, You’re Not Alone, in 1983 and with every song that followed, his lyrics filled voids, encouraged love, and offered hope. Now, more than 25 albums later, his musical legacy has not only resonated in the hearts of thousands, but continues to be a standard for those seeking meaning and peace. To celebrate this exciting anniversary, McLean released a boxed set of six albums...